HHIC responds to ECCC call for evidence

“Micro CHP and other efficient gas appliances have potential to revolutionise home heating and in turn reduce our carbon emissions” says the Heating and Hotwater Industry Council, HHIC. Their comments come in response to the Energy and Climate Change Committee’s Energy Revolution Inquiry.

Stewart Clements, Director of HHIC said “Micro CHP units meet the space heating and hot water needs of homes and buildings, while generating electricity. By enabling consumers to produce their own electricity, used directly or fed back to the gird, micro CHP has the potential to revolutionise the UK energy market.

The majority of micro CHP products are “heat led” and as the peak demand for heat and power are fairly closely aligned it means that electricity is generated and used locally at the time the grid is facing its largest demand. As the electricity generated is used at source, micro CHP devices result in no transmission or distribution losses and offer back up generation capacity to the grid.

Unlike some alternative heating technologies installing micro CHP does not require larger radiators or sizeable external units making them well suited to the average UK home. Generating electricity on site can also result in significant bill savings for consumers – an additional bonus.

In the short term micro CHP can enable the efficient use of fossil fuel gas but will also be a key enabler of a transition towards low carbon gas. As the gas grid is decarbonised, through biomethane, bio SNG or hydrogen, micro CHP will still operate, proving heat and power.

Micro CHP can revolutionise the energy market and we ask the Government to continue to support the development of these technologies and create favourable conditions for their widespread deployment.”